Nature

Natural Causes

Natural Causes is a podcast about the politics and practicalities of going outside in a world on fire, hosted by Dr. James Stout. It approaches the outdoors, conservation, agriculture, food sovereignty, and Indigenous land rights as interconnected issues. We want to combine unflinching journalism with unabashed advocacy for the land we all share, and welcome everyone into the outdoors and the fight for our public lands. Our shared wild spaces are under threat like never before, from climate change, the Trump administration, and extractive capitalism. Now, more than ever, we need serious journalism and serious solidarity that engages people with the struggle to protect these spaces for generations to come. New episodes weekly.

Latest Episodes:

Urgent: The Bipartisan Effort to Quietly Erode Environmental and Tribal Protections Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

James is joined by Natali Geovia of the Water Protector Legal Collective to discuss the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA) and the tremendous damage it could do to protections for the land, Indigenous people, and public health.

https://www.waterprotectorlegal.org/

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AI and the Outdoors Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

James talks with Dane Brinkley about Mount Shasta, why it's not a good idea to outsource your planning to the internet, and why we go to the mountains .

https://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff/posts/pfbid09S8teHAogsxqUS66ManmS8kqBRkTzJtqhBPfL4vH6sKUktKHqsN99Sb7WQ1z5RA6l
https://krcrtv.com/news/local/three-mount-shasta-climbers-rescued-after-relying-on-ai-to-plan-climb
https://www.shastaavalanche.org/climbing-advisory
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/solo-teen-hiker-hoisted-from-mountain-cliff-after-using-ai-to-plan-route-north-shore-rescue-says-12855671
https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/two-hikers-rescued-one-hiker-missing-and-a-rescuer-dead-in-separate-incidents-on-mt-baldy/
https://www.casavalpt.com/

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Natural Causes Guide To Staying Warm This Winter Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

James is joined by Molly Conger to talk about what to wear this winter to stay warm in the outdoors, and to discuss how the outdoor media talks about equipment and the issues with that model. Here are some of the things James mentioned in the episode, all with non affiliate links!

https://armsofandes.com/
https://darntough.com/
https://www.sitkagear.com/collection/equinox-guard-collection
https://www.royalrobbins.com/us/en-us/men/featured/mosquito-protection-technology/
https://nuyarn.com/
https://www.polartec.com/fabrics/insulation/alpha
https://www.primaloft.com/insulation-products/active-series/active-evolve
https://pertex.com/fabrics-technologies/quantum-air
https://kahtoola.com/gaiters/navagaiter-gtx/
https://auclairgloves.us/products/hybrid-xc-2-finger-mitts-adult-new-fall-2023
https://skida.com/products/limoncello-alpine-hat

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Lochiel Part 2: The End of the Tree Sit Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

In the second of a two part series James looks at the federal government's response to the Lochiel land defence and where people who care about the land can go from here.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/alerts/border-barrier-construction-closure
https://hoyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/lawmakers-demand-transparency-after-us-forest-service-coordinates-with-ice-on-public-lands
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/labor-day-weekend-family-camping-trip-ends-in-ice-raid/281-fdb42198-76df-4922-ae38-d2e3faf58ca4

https://cochiseregionalnews.substack.com/p/hathway-on-lochiel-only-violent-physical
https://azsheriffs.org/newsroom/santa-cruz-county-public-safety-open-letter/
https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R46601/R46601.2.pdf

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Lochiel: Speaking for the Trees Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

In the first of a two part series, James travels to Lochiel, Arizona, to interview land defenders occupying a historic cottonwood known as grandmother tree in order to prevent the tree being destroyed as part of a two layer border wall being built through the region.

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Nomadcast takeover for Indigenous Peoples' Day Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

For Indigenous People's Day James intorduces an episode of the Nomadcast interviewing Mato Wayuhi. NomadCast is hosted by Caleb “Moose” (White Mountain Apache Descendant) and Cheyanne (White Mountain Apache Enrolled) Endfield from the White Mountain Apache Reservation where the couple went to school, met, had children and now work and create. NomadCast is a show interested in exploring the best of Indian Country. Caleb Suggested listeners who enjoyed this episode might also enjoy:
Lilly Gladstone
One of Indian countries brightest stars. Proof we can sit comfortably at any table.
Doctor’s Orders Solo episode
Why not believe in myself a bit?
Tiio Horn Episode
In person event at Indigenous Pop Culture Expo in Oklahoma. Very fun episode where I made the deer lady laugh.
Alice Qannik Glenn Third Wheel Blues Episode
Fun conversation that flows between topics.

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Cracking the Case on Egg Corruption Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

James looks into the DOJ investigation into egg price fixing and what it can tell us about the way our food system treats animals and people.

Sources:

https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1450281/dl?inline
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-unscrambling-the-egg-ma/204490574/
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.978076/gov.uscourts.cacd.978076.77.0.pdf
https://climate.law.columbia.edu/content/trump-administration-cancels-contract-bird-flu-vaccine-development
https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/02/26/usda-invests-1-billion-combat-avian-flu-and-reduce-egg-prices
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/APU0000708111
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Poultry/chickegg.php
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20231204
https://www.dol.gov/index.php/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20240502
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6248715/1/united-states-v-ramirez/
https://www.versova.com/trillium-farms/
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/labor-trafficker-sentenced-encouraging-illegal-entry-guatemalan-nationals-including
https://u.osu.edu/osuhtblog/2018/03/02/failed-by-the-government-guatemalan-minors-placed-into-custody-of-traffickers/
"

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The Coming Flood Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

In Part Two of our series on The Wall and the Wilderness, James talks about the cultural and ecological damage done by the border wall and continues his interview with Dr. Christina Aiello about the Peninsular Bighorn ram that was killed by razor wire in the Jacumba mountains.

Sources:

https://www.usaspending.gov/search?hash=29de9d51905bd175a701b04c24176b46
https://www-jstor-org.sdmesa.idm.oclc.org/stable/3636811?seq=5
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_employer=Atkore
https://tucson.com/news/local/border/article_a11265b0-17c3-5bed-b50a-72e5d17e1369.html
https://www.blm.gov/visit/jacumba-wilderness
https://www.usaspending.gov/search?hash=29de9d51905bd175a701b04c24176b46
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/08/2025-05992/determination-pursuant-to-section-102-of-the-illegal-immigration-reform-and-immigrant-responsibility
https://www.enr.com/articles/54215-us-settles-border-wall-suit-against-contractor-fisher-sand-gravel
https://www.atkore.com/about-us
https://desertreport.org/a-border-wall-in-the-jacumba-wilderness-area/
https://gizmodo.com/trumps-border-wall-torn-apart-by-arizona-monsoon-rains-1847535174
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70B01C25F00001112_7014_70B01C23D00000010_7014
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1666138/000166613826000010/atkr-20260429.htm

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The Wall and the Wilderness Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

James talks about the ecological disaster that is the border wall and interviews Dr. Christina Aiello about the Peninsular Bighorn ram that was killed by razor wire in the Jacumba mountains.

Sources:

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What's the Roadless Rule and Who Wants To Scrap It? Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

James and journalist Jason Dove Mark explain the roadless rule, national forests, and the Trump administration's attempts to strip protections from tens of thousands of acres of public land.

https://www.regulations.gov/document/FS-2025-0001-223869
https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives/roadless-rule
https://morethanjustparks.com/threatened-public-lands-map/

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